Rush recovers $125k for woman sexually assaulted by GPD officer

Gainesville attorney Robert Rush, who represented the woman, noted that GPD administrators knew Carter's behavior had generated complaints and allegations but did little about it.

“The internal affairs investigation documents that there were sergeants, lieutenants and captains who knew this guy was a problem and had a policy of not allowing him to be around female field training officers, but nobody stepped forward and took any disciplinary action,” Rush said. “Here he is, out there harassing members of the public. And when you look at his background and see problems he had at other agencies, he never should have been hired.”

Most of the allegations investigated in the internal affairs probe were sustained including battery, lying on his application, having an inappropriate relationship with a woman, improper use of a police database and sexual harassment of female police trainees, The Sun reported in 2012.

The investigative report said while working at the Lady Lake Police Department before working at GPD, Carter had sexual activity with a woman while on duty and once put his police gun to his head in front of other employees. Sex on duty is suposed to cost an officer their law enforcement certification, but the issue was never reported to FDLE.

GPD's internal report said Lady Lake police reported Carter's resignation as a "voluntary separation not involving misconduct." Such coverup of police wrongdoing is common and there is no enforcement mechanism to make agencies report to FDLE.